The Seattle biotech community is surprisingly strong, with a rich history traced from the 1973 opening of the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, and a trove of alumni companies. Many companies owe their roots to Robert Nowinski and several other serial entrepreneurs, all the way to the Allen Brain Atlas, funded by Paul Allen. Seattle has also been a powerhouse for medical equipment makers, including ultrasound.Bioterror is getting all the attention and huge amounts of money, so that was a subject of many discussions. I was surprised to hear the panelists speculate about the 2001 anthrax killer. One guy thinks it’s a 12-25 year-old self-taught loner. I had thought Steve Hatfill was still the prime suspect, even if he hasn’t been accused.

Nanotech is the first innovation since globalization, says John Martin of the Washington Tech Alliance, so it’s less likely that a “hub” will form in a single region. You’ll see nanotech happening worldwide, in surprising places.

Research on treatments that only benefit the third world may not seem profitable, but focus on process improvements required to get to low prices is very effective.